Hurricane Ian keeps intesifying

 HAVANA, Cuba, Sep 26 (ACN) The Cuban Institute of Meteorology issued at 3:00 this afternoon the Tropical Cyclone Warning No. 15, which due to its importance we transmit in its entirety:

Tropical Cyclone Warning No. 15

During the first hours of the afternoon, Hurricane Ian has gained in organization and intensity and in the images of the meteorological satellite and Cuban radars, the outer bands of the system can be seen crossing over a large part of the country, mainly towards the south of the territory.

Up to 2:00 pm this afternoon, reports have been received of the occurrence of showers and rains, with strong gusty winds that have reached up to 66 kilometers per hour at the meteorological station located in Batabanó, Mayabeque province.

The maximum winds of the system have continued to increase up to 135 kilometers per hour with higher gusts, so it remains a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. While the minimum central pressure has dropped to 976 hectoPascal. Hurricane Ian is moving on a near north-northwesterly course at 20 kilometers per hour.

At three o'clock this afternoon its central region was estimated at 19.9 degrees north latitude and 83.1 degrees west longitude, a position that places it 175 kilometers south of Carapachibey, Isla de la Juventud and about 295 kilometers southeast of Cape San Antonio, western end of Pinar del Rio.
In the next 6 to 12 hours, Ian will continue to approach the Isle of Youth and the south of Pinar del Rio, transiting over a region with favorable conditions for its rapid strengthening.

The clouds associated with Ian's outer bands have been maintained with showers and rains at intervals affecting much of the country, which will increase in the afternoon and evening hours and will be strong and intense in some locations in the western half of Cuba.

With Ian's proximity to western Cuba, wind speeds will increase in the afternoon and reach tropical storm force, with speeds between 65 and 80 kilometers per hour, with higher gusts, starting in the south of the Isle of Youth and from the night in the west. In the early morning it will reach hurricane force in Pinar del Río.

Strong swells are occurring in the south of the Isle of Youth and swells on the south coast of Pinar del Rio, which will increase to strong swells with wave heights between 5 and 7 meters, except in the Gulf of Batabanó where wave heights will be between 1.5 and 2.5 meters. Coastal flooding will continue in the south of the Isle of Youth and will begin on the south coast of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa and Mayabeque.